READING Family Aid’s Toys & Teens Appeal launches today to help battle back against the cost of living crisis and support families needing help now more than ever.
This year’s campaign, sponsored by the Reading Chronicle, is back to normal, accepting new and nearly new toys at 28 donation points across Reading and the surrounding areas.
These toys and gifts will be organised by hundreds of volunteers and distributed to under-privileged children in Reading and the surrounding area, ready for Christmas day.
Sadly, this year is set to be one of the busiest for the appeal, as more families than ever before have reached out for help this Christmas.
According to The Times 1.3 million Britons will be plunged into poverty due to the cost-of-living crisis. With rising energy bills, more families are becoming reliant on food banks and will have to make the difficult decision not to heat their homes this winter.
But the Toys and Teens Appeal hopes to bring a little joy to their lives this festive season.
Organised by Reading Family Aid, the charity is raising funds this year to buy new or nearly new presents suitable for ages 0 – 16, to give to disadvantaged Reading families at Christmas time.
Mayor of Reading Rachel Eden, said: “I’m really proud to be launching this appeal, this year it’s more important than ever.
“I was recently contacted by people too frightened to top up their prepayment meter because they could see the numbers ticking down when they boiled a kettle.
“I used to meet with families who had to choose week in week out between a weekly shop and turning the heating on. But, incredibly sadly, I’m now meeting families that can’t afford to do either.
“It’s wrong we’re in this situation but that is the reality. What I do know is that Reading is a community that steps up. We want to stand with our neighbours and make sure no one faces a Christmas that is miserable.
“A present is only one aspect, but it can make such a difference to children and their families.”
Each Christmas, the Toys and Teens Appeal helps ensure that children who would not otherwise receive a single present, have something to open on Christmas morning. The campaign supported more than 2,500 children last year, through the generous donations of supporters.
To support the campaign you can donate a gift to the drop-off points below - more details on what can be donated at readingfamilyaid.org/donate-toys
If you cannot donate a gift the campaign also has an online GoFundMe page to help buy new presents for age groups that have less among the donations: gofund.me/5038d766
Full list of drop-off points for donation:
Caversham Homecraft, Church Road, Caversham - Mon to Sat 9am to 5pm
Caversham Library, Church Road, Caversham - Tues and Fri 9am to 5pm, Thurs 1pm to 7pm, Sat 10am to 3pm
New Bridge Nursery, Montague Street, Caversham - Mon to Fri 9am to 3pm
The Heights Primary School, Upper Woodcote Road, Caversham - Mon to Fri 9am to 3pm
Earley Crescent Resource Centre, Warbler Drive, Earley - Mon to Thurs 8.30am to 6pm, Fri 8.30am to 3pm, Sat 8.30am to midday
St Barnabas Church, Grove Road, Emmer Green - Tues 8.30am to 11am, Weds 10.30am to 11.30am, Sun 9am to 11am
Lower Earley Library, Chalfont Close, Lower Earley - Thurs 9.30am to 7pm, Sat 9.30am to 4pm
The Club at Mapledurham, Chazey Heath, Mapledurham - Mon to Fri 6.30am to 10pm, Sat and Sun 6.30am to 7pm
Big Yellow Storage, Rose Kiln Lane, Reading - Mon to Fri 8.30am to 5.30pm, Sat 9am to 5.30pm, Sun 10am to 4pm
Leighton Park School, Shinfield Road, Reading - Mon to Fri 8a to 5pm (Term time only)
Southcote Library, Coronation Square, Southcote - Tues 9am to midday and 1pm to 7pm, Thurs 9am to midday and 1pm to 4pm, Fri 9am to midday, Sat 10am to1pm
Birch Copse Primary School, Wittenham Avenue, Tilehurst - 9am to 3pm (Term time only)
Coop Food, School Road, Tilehurst - Mon to Sat 7am to 10pm, Sun 10am to 4pm
Tilehurst Library, School Road, Tilehurst - Mon 9am to 5pm, Tues 9am to midday, Thurs 1pm to 7pm, Sat 10am to 3pm
Civic Centre, Bridge Street, Reading - Mon to Fri 9am to 5pm
Reading Voluntary Action, Reading Central Library, Reading - Mon, Thurs, Fri 10am to 5pm
Battle Library, Oxford Road, Reading - Tues 1pm to 7pm, Thurs 9am to 5pm, Fri 9am to midday, Sat 10am to 3pm
Tesco Extra, Portman Road, Reading - Mon to Sat 6am to midday, Sun 10am to 4pm
Winnersh Primary School, Greenwood Grove, Winnersh - Mon to Fri 10am to 2pm
The Oakwood Centre, Headley Road, Woodley - Mon to Thurs 9am to 4.30pm, Fri 9am to 4pm
Whitley Library, Northumberland Avenue, Whitley - Tues 9am to midday and 1pm to 7pm, Thurs 9am to midday and 1pm to 4pm, Sat 10am to 1pm
Willow Bank Junior School, Duffield Road, Woodley - Mon to Fri 9am to 3pm
Woodley Library, Headley Road, Woodley - Mon 9am to 1pm, Tues, Weds and Fri 9am to 5pm, Thurs 9am to 7pm, Sat 9.30am to 4pm, Sun 10.30am to 4pm
Please check with individual drop-off sites for changes to opening times.
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